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Nissan to enter Formula E in 2018-19 season

Nissan is to become the first Japanese car manufacturer competing in Formula E with an entry in the fifth season of the electric car racing series, organizers announced on Wednesday. Formula E said in a statement that Nissan would replace one of the existing manufacturers in the 2018-19 season. Media reports have indicated that will be alliance partners Renault, allowing the French manufacturer to focus on its Formula One team. "To have a name like Nissan coming on board is a momentous day for the series," said Formula E chief executive Alejandro Agag in a statement. "It's great to see our first Japanese manufacturer entering the frame, showing truly how global the electric revolution is. Japan is a country at the forefront of new technologies with one of the biggest followings of Formula E." Manufacturers already involved in the electric series include BMW, Audi, Renault, Jaguar, Citroen and India's Mahindra. Mercedes and Porsche are due to arrive for season six, which is scheduled to start in 2019 and end in 2020. Reporting by Alan BaldwinRelated Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Only 3 new cars cost under $20,000. Here’s what you should buy used instead

Looks like some more people have realized something we pointed out late last year. There are only three new cars under the magic $20,000 price limit currently for sale in the United States. Those three vehicles are the Nissan Versa with a starting price of $16,925 (all prices here include destination fee), the Kia Rio at $17,390 and the Mitsubishi Mirage at $17,650. Should push come to shove, so to speak, we'd probably pick the Nissan as our top choice among those three due to its practicality, comfort and overall polish when compared to its similarly priced peers. But really, as we've suggested before, there are better options. Our top pick for a used vehicle under $20,000 remains the Chevy Volt. It's stylish, comfortable, practical and, above all else, efficient, assuming you can plug it in at home. If you don't have access to a plug at home, you'll likely be able to find a very gently used car for the same price as one of the budget options above. We'd check out the Honda Fit, Kia Soul, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Corolla hatchback and Volkswagen Jetta from the  model years and aim for something with under 20,000 miles and with a year or two left of its factory warranty. A quick inventory search shows that some of those cars, notably the Impreza and Jetta, can even be found Certified Pre Owned in most parts of the country. For a more thorough breakdown of some of the available used-car options we'd recommend, check out our guide to the Best Cars Under $20,000. For what it's worth, with the average new car transaction price hovering alarmingly close to $50,000, we wouldn't expect to see any more options coming any time soon for well under half that sum. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Green Kia Mitsubishi Nissan Car Buying Used Car Buying Sedan

Nissan gets it on with the loud "Karaok-e" van concept

With a minivan, you can pack it with a half dozen friends to shuttle them to a big party. But that involves some boring time in traffic. With the Nissan Townstar Karaok-e you can skip that boring step because the van is the party. That’s the idea behind Nissan's modified Townstar Evalia is a one-off project recently shown in Europe. ItÂ’s an exercise that transforms the van into a mobile karaoke lounge. The bulk of the modifications are in the rear of the van. A 32-inch video monitor for graphics and lyrics is the centerpiece along with the exotic sound system. There are also fancy lights in the ceiling and the cabinetry, and they're synchronized the to the beat of the music. There's no mention in the press release if the van comes with a “donÂ’t dance while driving” warning. This all-electric seven-seat Townstar Evalia—which Nissan rather cosmically claims is intended to inspire “well-being and happiness”—further features a number of apps that allows passengers to show off their vocal chops, record their performances, and share them on social media platforms. The brand hasnÂ’t ignored the exterior, which features a juicy wrap enhanced by a couple of hashtags. The neon-like roof attachment would almost certainly have impressed Donna Summer. The Townstar Evalia in Europe shares close ties with the Renault Kangoo van. It comes in a long wheelbase configuration with options for five or seven seats and is available with either fully electric or gasoline powertrains. Nissan offers no hint that this particular Townstar variant might enter serious production, and we doubt that even a groundswell of interest from the public would get the company to start building them. But we bet there are limo services that might be interested, and certainly some upfitters that could put together something similar. Of course, that's as long as said customer has the will and the means.